Prince dube

FIFA International Match Window: India’s Unity Cup 2026 campaign ended in disappointment as the Blue Tigers suffered a second consecutive defeat, going down 0-1 against Zimbabwe in the third-place play-off at The Valley in London on Saturday. A first-half penalty from Prince Dube (33') proved decisive as Zimbabwe secured third place, while India's campaign ended without a goal.

After falling 0-2 to Jamaica in the semifinal, head coach Khalid Jamil rang in four changes to his starting line-up. Vikram Partap Singh, Rahim Ali, Macarton Nickson, and Ricky Shabong were handed starts, with the latter making his first appearance in the starting XI just days after making his international debut as a substitute against Jamaica.

India entered the contest hoping to finish the tournament on a positive note, and while the game remained evenly contested in the early stages, Zimbabwe enjoyed greater control and appeared more dangerous whenever they moved forward.